Bullpups survive Senior Night 64-49

The McPherson High Bullpup boys had a tough time with Rose Hill Tuesday night, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at the 64-49 final score.

Comment

By Chris SwickSports Editor

McPhersonSentinel - McPherson, KS

By Chris SwickSports Editor

Posted Feb. 20, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Updated Feb 20, 2013 at 12:26 PM

By Chris SwickSports Editor

Posted Feb. 20, 2013 at 12:15 PM
Updated Feb 20, 2013 at 12:26 PM

MCPHERSON

The McPherson High Bullpup boys had a tough time with Rose Hill Tuesday night, though you wouldn’t know it by looking at the 64-49 final score.

McPherson struggled mightily in the first half against a Rockets team looking to play spoilers for the Senior Night celebrations at the Roundhouse for seniors Marcus Houghton, Keaton Sorenson and Alex Bahr.

Rose Hill (6-13, 1-8 AVCTL Div. III) jumped out early on the Pups in the first quarter, taking advantage of missed shots and giving Rose Hill junior Gabe Nickel open looks from three-point range. Nickel was responsible for the first nine Rocket points, hitting three straight from distance.

McPherson (17-2, 9-0) would manage to pull even with Rose Hill several times throughout the first, but just couldn’t get the lead.

That would come a minute into the second quarter off a Houghton three pointer. Bahr would then steal the Rose Hill in-bound and feed it to Houghton for a quick lay-up, giving McPherson a three-point advantage at the 6:53 mark. MHS would hold onto a 26-25 lead at the half.

Something seemed to click, though, for the Bullpups in the third, as Bahr, Kyler Kinnamon and Sorenson came alive and sparked a 22-2 run that lasted the rest of the third quarter and through the first three minutes of the fourth.

“Alex and the energy he had really gave us a boost,” Kinnamon said. “He had a few follow shots and I think he did a good job defensively.”

By the time the senior trio took their bows in the waning minutes of the fourth, the Bullpups had pushed their lead to 20. It was not without a scary moment, however, as junior Ryan Horton collided with a Rose Hill player with 51.4 seconds left on the clock, hitting his head on the hardwood and having to be taken out of the game. No condition report was available as of presstime.

McPherson finished shooting 22-of-51 from the field, hitting only a pair of three pointers. The Pups were 18-of-28 at the foul line.

Sorenson picked up a double-double with 19 points and 15 rebounds, leading three Pups in double figures. Houghton had 13 and Kyler Kinnamon added 11.

In the JV game, MHS defeated Rose Hill 69-48. Marcus McDaniel led the way with 15 points, while Avery Gabel had 11 and Keshawn Sewell added 10.

The freshmen picked up a 42-41 win Tuesday, a day after winning the Hutchinson Freshmen Tournament with a 49-32 defeat of host Hutchinson.

Drew Pyle led the scoring against Hutch with 11 points. Jacob Loecker and Spencer Wine both added 10. Loecker was the only Pup in double digits against Rose Hill with 14.

Page 2 of 2 - A trip to Winfield Thursday wraps up the regular season. Sub-state begins next Monday; parings were to be released today..